Secondary electric clock



A. D. BLODGETT.

SECONDARY ELECTRIC eEoeK.

(No Model.)`

Patented May 24,1898.

.Ve @wem WITNESSEE y -INTTTLD STnTns FaTnNT @Tricia AARON D. BLODGETT,OFA NEW'TON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SECCNDAR-Y ELECTRIC CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION formi-ng part of Letters Patent N o 604,453, dated May 24,1898.

Application tiled May 29, 1897. Serial No. 638,670. (No modell) To allwhom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, AARON D. BLODGETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Time-DialMovements, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates to the herein described improvement in time-dialmovements, whereby the operation of the same is made more positive andcertain and the construction simplified.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in plan of my improvement. Fig. 2 isa View in front elevation thereof, the front plate of the frame orcasing beingremoved. Fig. 3 is aview in elevation of the parts back ofthe magnets. Fig. 4c is a view in vertical section upon the dotted line4 4 of Fig- 1.

I have represented the movement as actuated by electrical impulsesdelivered from an energizing source through a pair of magnets and anarmature connected with and forming a part of the movement; but I wouldsay that I do not limit myself to this particular medium for providingthe movement with an intermittent or step-by-step motion and may use inlieu of the magnets and armature any mechanical device for providing thefeed-pawl of the device with oscillatory movements.

In the drawings, A represents what may be called the back plate, and Bthe front plate. These plates are held apart and connected in the usualmanner, and across them extends the shaft C, which has a bearing at c inthe rear plate A and in the front plate a bearing provided by the longsleeve c.

Upon the shaft between the plates B and A is the armature-sleeve D,which is mounted upon the same, to be turned back and forth by thearmature D,'having the wings or extensions d d and the magnets D2 D3.The armature surrounds the sleeve, and its wings ext-end radially fromit and are faced with the blocks d2 d3. (See Fig. 2.) The magnets aresupported by cross-bars d4 d5, respectively, which are fastened to thefront and back plates, and they preferably are inclined in relation tothe armature, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

The shaft C has attached to it the pinion c2, forming one of atrain. Thearmature-sleeve D has attached to it the outwardly-extending arm E,which carries at its outer end a feed or driving pawl E, and there isfast to the shaft C the large driving-gear E2, having teeth e in thenature of spur-teeth. The drivingpawl is pivoted to the lever E at c2,and its tooth-engaging end c3 is shaped substantially as represented inFigs. 2 and 3. Its rear end e4 is widened and has the inclined surfacee5. The arm E is moved backward by the magnets and armatures and forwardby the spring E3, one end of which is connected with an adjustablesupport e and the other end with an extension c7 of the arm. Thefeed-point of the pawl has the inclined upper surface es, which as thepawl is moved forward closes under the stationary stop or pin e9,extending outward from the inner surface of the back plate A.

A stationary stop or pin 610, projecting inward from the face of theback plate A, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) is arranged so that the inclined rearsurface c5 of the pawl shall come into contact with it at the end of thebackward movement of the arm E and pawl and be thereby moved, the rearend upward and the forward or tooth-engaging end downward behind one ofthe teeth of the spur-wheel E2, to make engagement therewith, the pawlat the end of the backward movement of the arm being always thus movedand seated. As the feed-pawl approaches the end of its feed movement itsinclined end rides under the stop or pin e, and no shock or jar canVthen disengage it from the tooth of the spurwheel with which itis incontact, andit thereby is bound to move the wheel the full limit of itsthrow and cannot become disengaged from it during the latter part of it.A stationary stop or pin e, extending from the back plate over thefeed-pawl,prevents it from rising during its backward movement more thanis desirable. The'pin e9 and the pawlfeeding end of the pawl also serveto lock the pawl at the end of the feed movement, so that it may notthen be moved in either direction until the reverse movement of the IOOpawl begins, and to prevent the backward movement of the pawl from thenmoving the spur-wheel backward I employ a detent-pawl F, which ispivoted at f to the back plate A, and the end f of which is adapted toenter the cavity between the two teeth when the feed-pawl has reachedthe end of its forward or feed movement, and it is moved into suchposition in case it shall not have fully seated itself therein, and itis held in such position by the endj12 of the movable arm f3, extendingforward from the arm E, which at or near the end of vthe movement of thearm and the feed-pawl comes into contact with the upward extension f4 ofthe detent F, and as the arm and feed-pawl draw near the end of theirbackward movement a pin f5, extending laterally from the end of the armf, also carried by the arm E, closes upon the inclined end f7 of thedetent-pawl and moves it into locking position, if it requires to bemoved, or closes against it and holds it.

It will further be seen that the detent F is positively locked at theend of each movement of the feed-pawl E', and that it is also adapted tobe moved into position in advance oi said locking movement either by theend of the arm f3, as the feed-pawl is moved forward to feed, or by thepin f5 as the feedpawl reaches the end of its backward movement, andthat there is thus insured a positive engagement between the detent andthe spur-wheel during the backward movement of the fced-pawl and whilethe feed-pawl is making engagement at the end of its backward movementwith the next tooth of the spur-wheel in order.

The support or arm c, to which one end of the feed-pawl-actuatin gspring E3 is attached, is pivoted to the back plate A at 71,. It has theextension 7L', provided with the curved slot 7a2, through which aclamping stud or screw h3, screwing` into a hole in the back plate,ext-ends and by which the support or arm is locked in any desiredposition.

It will be understood that to adj ust the spring the clamping stud orscrew is released and the support or arm moved to any desired positionand then locked in such position by the tightening of the clamping studor screw. The arm or support c extends above the upper edge of the plateand forms a projecting handle by which it may be readily and easilyreached and moved.

One of the plates AB is of iron, and forms a magnetic field for themagnets D2 D:E through the iron connections and supports d4 d5.

It will be understood that in the operation of the device the actuatingimpulses are in termittent, the intervals between the movements of thefeed-pawl being` of any desired extent. Usually in a time-dial they areof a minutes duration.

It will also be understood that when the device is not in action, whichis the greater part of the time, the feed-pawl is in its forwardposition7 with its point beneath the pin ci) and locked between theteeth of the spur-wheel, and the tooth of the detent is also held posi.-tively locked between two teeth ol' the spurwheel, and that therefore noj ar or disturbing cause can then actuate the spur-wheel or cause thefeed-pawl or detent to become disengaged from it.

It will also be understood ihat the feeding movement is a very short andquick one, and that the feed-pawl is then moved rapidly backward by theenergizing of the magnets or other actuating cause and an engagementwith a tooth of the spur-wheel immediately made, which is instantlyfollowed by the forward movement of the feed-pawl to its originalposition of rest, and that also during the forward movement of thefeed-pawl in feed ing the spur-wheel the detent F is releasedsulliciently to permit the riding of one or more teeth of the spur-wheelby it, but that it is relocked at the end of the feed movement.

rlhe method of actuating the feed-pawl by means of a magnet or magnetsenergized io draw back and immediately release the feedpawl and a springwhich is given tension by the said action of the magnet or magnets andthen released by them or the feed-pawl is a very desirable one, as it isvery economical in respect to its use of the electrical energy andrequires but small batteryepower, there being' in case of a time-dialbut one contact of an instants duration between the magnets and thearmature for each minute feed of the pawl, and the tension upon thespring It is at its greatest only during this instant, and at all othertimes it is relaxed.

I would not be understood as limiting the invention to its employment asa time-dial. movement, but may use it wherever it is dei sirable toprovide any mechanism with a stepby-step action or movement.

It is unnecessary to illustrate trains of gears by which the movement ofthe spur-wheel is communicated to the actuating-hands or employed inconnection with a dial, and I would say that trains of any suitableconstruction can be so used and operated.

It will be understood that the feeding impulses are imparted to thelever It at relatively long intervals, and that at all other times it isat rest at the forward end of its stroke, and that the feed-pawl and thedetent-pawl are then held locked in engagement with the teeth of thespurwhecl, so that it is locked and held locked until an impulse iscommunicated to the lever E, and that when said impulse is imparted tosaid lever it, with the feed or driving pawl, is moved backward, movingthe driving-pawl over the teeth of the spur-wheel, which is stillpositively locked by the feed-pawl, and the driving or feed pawl isautomatically seated between the teeth of the spur-wheel or in a newnotch at the end of its backward movement, and that upon its forwardmovement, which immediately takes place, the detent-pawl is released andthe feed-pawl moves the spur-wheel a por IOO IKO

tion of a revolution, the feed-pawl and the detent-pawl beinglocked, asabove described, at the end of the feed movement.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United Statesl. In a device of the characterspecified, the combination of the lever E adapted to be reciprocated,with the portion E pivoted to the said lever at c2 having its feed-pawlprovided with an inclined surface es and having its rear end providedwith the face e5, with the stop or pins e, e1() arranged as specifiedand acting in conjunction with the teeth or notches of the feed-wheel asdescribed, and said feedwheel.

2. The combination in a device of the character specified of thespur-wheel having` the feeding teeth or notches, the detent-pawl havinga point to engage said teeth or notches and the extension f4, and amovable projection or lock moved against said extension to lock thedetent as the feed-pawl approaches or reaches the end of its forwardfeeding movement, and said pawl.

3. The combination in a device of the character specified of theoscillating arm E, the spring E3, the support e6 pivoted at h, havingthe curved slot h2 and a clamping nut or device hs, as and for thepurposes described.

4:. The combination in a device of the character specified of the mainshaft C, the feedwheel E2 mounted thereon having feeding spurs ornotches, the sleeve D mounted upon said shaft and free to be turnedbackward and forward a limited extent thereon, an arm E extendingoutward from said sleeve, an armature attached to said sleeve and havingoutwardly-extending arms, the magnets D2, D3 arranged in respect to thearms of the armature as shown and described,a feed-pawl E pivoted to thearm Eand shaped at its end as specied, the arm moving spring E3, thestops or pins e9, elo, the detent F having the inclined end f7 and theextension f 4 and the movable detent-locks f5, f2, all arranged tooperate as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a time-dial movement of the character specified, the combinationof a spur-wheel having a single set of teeth, a lever adapted to beoscillated at stated intervals, a feed or driving pawl carried by saidlever, a detentpawl and means substantially as specified for seating thedriving-pawl between the teeth of the said wheel at the end of itsbackward movement, for seating the detent-pawl between the teeth of saidwheel at the end of the driving or forward movement, and for locking thedriving-pawl and detent-pawl in engagement with the teeth of said wheelwhile the lever is stationary or at rest.

6. The combination in a time-dial movement of a wheel having a singleset of teeth, a lever adapted to have oscillating movements imparted toit at stated intervals, a feeding or driving pawl for imparting anintermittent progressive feeding movement to said wheel carried by saidlever, means for seating said pawl between the teeth of the wheel assaid lever approaches the end of its backward movement and madeoperative because of said backward movement of the lever, a detent-pawland a projection upon said lever adapted to be brought into contact withsaid pawl as the said lever is approaching the end of its forwardmovement, and to be held in contact with said pawl while the lever is inits forward position, and an additional proj ection upon said leveradapted to be brought into contact with said pawl as the said leverapproaches the end of its backward movement, whereby the said lever actsto lock the detent as it approaches and recedes from the end of each ofits movements, and to hold'the said detent while at the end of saidmovements.

7. The combination in a time-dial movement of a wheel having a singleset of teeth, a lever adapted to have oscillating movements imparted toit at stated intervals, a feeding or driving pawl for imparting anintermittent progressive feeding movement to said wheel carried by saidlever, means for seating said pawl between the teeth of the wheel assaid lever approaches the end of its backward movement and madeoperative because of said backward movement of the lever, a detent-pawland a projection upon said lever adapted to be brought into contact withsaid pawl as the said lever is approaching the end of its forwardmovement and to be held in contact with said pawl while the lever isheld in its forward position, as and for the purposes set forth.

8. yThe combination in a time-dial movement of a wheel having a singleset of teeth, a lever adapted to have oscillating movements imparted toit at stated intervals, a feeding or driving pawl for imparting anintermittent progressive feeding movement to said wheel carried by saidlever, and means such as a pin and a cooperating surface or arm of thefeed-pawl for seatingsaid pawl between the teeth of the wheel as saidlever approaches the end of its backward movement, and made operativebecause of said backward movement of the lever, as and for the purposesset forth.

AARON D. BLODGETT..

I/Vitnesses:

FfF. RAYMOND, 2d, J. M. DoLAN.

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